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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24952594">Dear Zelda</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scira/pseuds/Scira'>Scira</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Breath of the Wild Spoilers, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Letters, botw, breath of the wild - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:14:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,153</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24952594</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scira/pseuds/Scira</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Dear Zelda,<br/>Hello, it’s Link.<br/>I hope you don’t mind that I’m writing to you, but you seem to be the only thing I really remember right now."</p><p>The journey to save Hyrule is lonely, so Link decides to write letters to Zelda along the way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Link &amp; Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Zelink - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Kakariko</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Night fell in Kakariko. </p>
<p>Link sat on a bed at the inn. He rummaged through his collected items, various weapons and shields, mushrooms and rice, a few bows and arrows, and a journal and pen he had purchased earlier today in Kakariko.</p>
<p>He took the pen in his hand. It felt foreign and uncomfortable. At first, he held it in a fist, like the hilt of a sword, but he soon found that it was nearly impossible to write this way. Ultimately, he settled on it gently nestled between his fingers, like the end of an arrow.</p>
<p>He knew he could read, so he assumed he could write. He read King Rhoam’s journal; he didn’t understand how but understood what was on the page. He had thought that maybe a journal of his own would help him remember who he was.</p>
<p>He opened the journal to the first page.</p>
<p>
  <i> Dear Zelda, </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Hello, it’s Link. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I hope you don’t mind that I’m writing to you, but you seem to be the only thing I really remember right now.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>In the past 100 years, I have been awake for six days. I spoke with your father, and he explained what happened to me, to you, to Hyrule. He told our history, and Impa, who I am with now, explained it to me again. It is so much, and I’m still not sure I fully understand it all. Right now, everything feels like a haze.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Your father told me that he was a king, you were a princess, and I was your knight. These words taste familiar in my mouth, but I do not fully know what they mean. I do know that I was close to you, I protected you. I can hear you, and when I close my eyes, I can see you clear as day. I do not know what I did as you knight, but I know that I miss you.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>In Kakariko, I have found Impa, and I have spent the past two days with her. Her presence is familiar, but I do not remember her role in my life or yours, although she has explained as much as she could to me. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>She was disappointed that I don’t remember her, but he said it was expected. I sat with her for hours, listening to her tell me about the past and my role in all of this. She told me about the fated hero who wields a darkness sealing sword—I believe she is trying to tell me that the hero is me. However, I don’t feel very heroic. Maybe I once was, but the Link I am now pales in comparison to the Link Impa has described. I barely know my own name, and now I am expected to fix a hundred years of chaos. It creates a tension in my chest that won’t resolve.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Impa can tell I’m overwhelmed. She told me to slow down, that I can afford to take a day or two in the village to get my bearings. She has helped guide me as I begin to navigate this new life. She helps to fill in the blanks as best as she can, reminding me of things that have slipped my mind—to wear my hood when it rains, how to buy goods at a store, the definition of words I have forgotten. These small actions have made the past few days a little less frightening. For that, I am forever grateful.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I have spent some time with the Sheikah Slate. I’m still not quite sure I understand it or its purpose, but it has been very helpful.  The bombs have helped me fight off enemies, and the cryonis has helped me get across bodies of water. People have been interested in the slate, and I even had a traveler offer to buy it off of me. Of course, I turned him down.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>The journey to Kakariko felt long, but the map’s size makes it seem as if I’ve barely moved. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I’m eager to explore Hyrule more, to unlock towers and navigate this country, hopefully regaining my memory of it as I go. Impa said that once I’m ready to leave, I should head to a small village called “Hateno.” </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Its name feels familiar; I think I have visited there before.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>The past six days have not been scary and exhausting, but they have also had moments of wonder. I felt rain for the first time again; it made being alive make a little more sense. I watched the sunset with Impa and remembered how many colors the sky can be.  I pet a cucco and remembered how to laugh. I cooked with a young girl from the village and listened as she told me about her mother and her sister. I’m beginning to remember all the little things. Impa said this feeling is joy.<br/>
I hope you and I can share joy soon.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I’ll write to you in Hateno.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Link </i>
</p>
<p>His handwriting was crude, the letters were inconsistent, and he never knew if he should write in capitals or not.  He shook his head, he knew what “capital letter” was, but he wasn’t sure when to use them.  He just decided to use them whenever it felt right.  He hoped Zelda would understand.</p>
<p>He closed the journal and tucked it into the pouch on his belt.  He laid back onto the bed and drifted to sleep.</p>
<p>He dreamt of Zelda.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Hateno</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He found himself once again at an inn, this time in Hateno. It was his second night in this village. He had spent the first day running around and talking to the villagers and completing various tasks. He spent today at the ancient tech lab with Purah and her assistant Symin. Link was disappointed to learn that she also remembered him, but he did not remember her.</p>
<p>He organized his materials. </p>
<p>He had acquired much more now—better weapons, some even made of steel, better shields which were wood plated with a thin metal, bows with bones, and arrows that caught his target on fire. He bought a basic set of armor from the shop in town, it wasn’t much, but they felt nicer than the scratchy, worn clothes he had been wearing. He had also acquired a few more spirit orbs, like the ones he got on the plateau, and three small seeds from creatures called “koroks.”<br/>He pushed these aside to get to his journal and pen, eager to tell Zelda about his past few days of adventures.</p>
<p>
  <i> Dear Zelda,</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I have been awake for nine days.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I’m in Hateno now, and this village feels very familiar. I have definitely been here before. It’s a small village, but the people here are nice, for the most part. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>A few women got mad at me for listening in on their conversation, although I think that was me forgetting etiquette. There is a clothes dying shop here, and the owner makes me uncomfortable. Other than this, the village is quite lovely.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>There’s a house here that is being torn down, and for some reason, that doesn’t sit well with me. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>It’s a shabby, small house with nothing, not even a door, but I can’t bear to see it torn down. The construction workers offered to sell it to me, and while I don’t have the funds at the moment, I plan on buying it as soon as I get the chance. I have been staying at inns, and I think it’d be nice to have a place to call home. If things ever settle down, I’d like to get a plant or two to take care of and put in the windowsill. I think that’d be nice.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Unlike Kakariko village, the people in Hateno have no idea who I am. It is refreshing. They ask me questions about the weather, about my travels, if I am enjoying my stay in the village. They don’t expect me to remember anything. I must admit it is relieving. There is, however, Purah, and she seems to expect me to remember everything.<br/>I’m sure you remember Purah, you seem to remember more than me.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I really like Purah, she flusters me quickly, but she also makes me laugh and smile a lot. She calls me Linky—it’s nice that someone knows me well enough to give me a nickname, even if it is a little silly. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>She probably looks different from what you remember, although I guess Impa probably does too. However, Purah looks like she aged backward. She said it was an experiment gone wrong; she didn’t get into the details. She looks like she’s six years old even though she’s older than Impa.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Purah added a new feature to the Sheikah Slate, a camera. We found pictures still saved from 100 years ago. Purah is sure that you took them, and that I was there with you. <br/>She believes that if I revisit these areas, I could possibly regain some of my memories. I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but I do hope Purah is right. She said that Impa would likely know more. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>So, it seems I will be heading back to Kakariko soon, though I think I will spend a few more days in Hateno as it is rather peaceful.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I’ve been able to help some of the villagers out as I’ve been here. I caught crickets to help someone impress the girl who works at the inn, and I killed a couple of monsters who were bothering a woman and her sheep. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>A child gave me rupees just to show him a sword I was carrying and said he could pay me more if I brought more weapons—with him, I’ll have my house in no time.<br/>There are several children here, and they love to run and play. I love to watch them; they seem so happy. Right now, it seems the world is falling apart, but then I hear them laugh and everything feels okay. They ask me questions about swords and monsters, and they listen with wide eyes as I tell them about battles against bokoblins and moblins. The fights aren’t that impressive, so I make them sound more intense because the kids seem to like them.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Telling them stories has helped curb some of the loneliness that I feel, but even then it lingers in the corners of my conscience. I can spend all day talking to people and running errands for them, but I still am lonely. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I wish I could talk to someone about me, about who I was, without them expecting anything from me. I want to know more about Link the person, not Link the knight or Link the hero.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Don’t get me wrong, I am going to save you Zelda, and I’m going to save Hyrule. I just need some more time to get used to this world. I hope that’s okay.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>If you’re up for it, whenever I see you again, I’ll bring you to Hateno. Hopefully, I’ll have a house by then. I’d love to cook you dinner and tell you more about my journey, and I want to hear all about you.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Until then, this journal will have to do.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Link </i>
</p>
<p>He closed the journal and was rocked to sleep by the sounds of Hateno.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Lonely</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Link has learned to appreciate the beds at the inns.  He likes the Kakariko inn because the keeper is always asleep, he feels less like he’s being watched.</p><p>He is laying on his back, holding the Sheikah slate above his head.  He swipes back and forth between the pictures that, as Impa told him, Zelda took.  He whispers her name, the shape of it feels right in his mouth. </p><p>He startles as he swipes to the picture of Purah.</p><p>He decided to ask Impa what “knight” meant, and she laughed. “Of course that’s a word you’d forget,” she said.  He didn’t know why it was funny.</p><p>She told him that knights were protectors, they fought monsters and enemies, and they did so for the love of their kingdom.  Link asked what a kingdom was.  She told him that a kingdom was a united group of people who all looked up to the royal family as their rulers.  He asked what royal meant, because in all honesty, he didn’t understand half the words that King Rhoam had told him on the plateau.</p><p>They went on like this for hours, Impa giving him an explanation that prompted more questions.  He was embarrassed that he had forgotten so much, but Impa assured him it was fine.  She said it was nice to hear him talk.</p><p>He almost told her about his journal, but decided not to.  He liked having something that he shared with only Zelda.</p><p>When he returned to the inn for the night, he got his items settled and pulled out his journal.  He balanced it on his knee as he began to write.</p><p>
  <i> Dear Zelda,<br/>

I’m sure you know by now, it’s Link.  I have been awake for 12 days.  I returned to Kakariko, though I must admit it was not as straight of a path as last time.  I went off the road anytime I saw a mushroom, or a courser beehive, or a stray arrow, and this led to me exploring other mushrooms and beehives and arrows that were further off the road.  I ended up finding eleven more koroks.  They seem to be everywhere!  I hope I can show them to you one day, they’re awfully cute.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Impa told me that you took the pictures on the Sheikah slate.  I think they look really nice, you have quite the eye for photography.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Impa also said that if I go to the places where the pictures were taken, I might start to recover some of my memories.  I’m a little scared.  This word seems barren, and while I don’t remember much from before, I don’t think I left it this way.  I feel the shadows of a land that once was vibrant, lively, bustling with travelers and merchants.  Now, I scarcely run into people on the road.  I know that something called calamity caused this, but I’m scared to see exactly what the calamity is.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I’m scared to see what separated us.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Impa and your father both said I should make my way to the various areas of Hyrule and assist with the divine beasts.  I’m not sure what I can do, I’m not very good with technology, I still struggle with the slate.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I wonder if these areas will help my memory, the way Impa talks about them makes them seem important.  I’m still a little confused on what a divine beast is, but I guess I’ll figure that out whenever I get there.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I know that I need to go in search of the divine beasts, but I really don’t want to leave Kakariko.   I love being around people, and there just aren’t that many I meet along the roads.  Here, there are plenty of people to be around.  I helped a young girl cook dinner for her family today.  She told me about how her mom passed away and how her younger sister doesn’t seem to understand that.  She told me how her dad is trying really hard to take care of them.  She said her mom was a good cook, and so she is trying to learn how to be a good cook too.  It was heartbreaking, but also so nice to listen to her talk.  It was nice to have company.  I wish that I had more people to talk to.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Even though I don’t remember much, I miss you.  Zelda, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t lonely.  I miss so many people that I don’t even remember.  I wish that I could talk to you, and not just through these letters.  I want to talk to you in person.  I want to hear your voice, and not just in my head.  I want to see you smile while you tell me stories to help me remember the past.  I want to hear you laugh.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I hope that I’m able to get to you soon.  Please hold out just a little longer.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I’ll talk to you soon.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Link </i>
</p><p>He closed the journal and placed it in his bag.  Tears stung at the back of his eyes.  As hard as he tried to force them back, a few escaped and rolled down his chin.  He wiped his eyes and laid back.  </p><p>Unable to sleep, he pulled out the Sheikah Slate and looked at the pictures Zelda took once more, desperately trying to remember the life he left behind.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for not updating this in months!!  School was really tough this semester, but I wanted to return to this fic! Thanks for reading &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Lanaryu Road</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Link set up camp underneath a large tree.  He used the wood and flint he had collected to start a fire, striking it with a traveler’s sword.  He used a stick to stoke the fire, coaxing it to steady flames.  Once he was sure that the fire wouldn’t go out, he rummaged through his bag.  It was getting more difficult to find things.  The weapons he collected were continuously getting better as he traveled more.  They were nearly all metal and his shields were able to withstand more damage before breaking.  He carried more supplies with him—more food and various monster parts.</p>
<p>He found a meal he had prepared while still in Kakariko—a pumpkin stew made using a pumpkin given to him by a local farmer.  He carefully unwrapped it an placed it next to the fire to warm it up.  As he waited for his food to warm, he pulled his journal from his bag.  He waited a moment, allowing his fingers to warm up by the fire before beginning to write.</p>
<p>
  <i> Dear Zelda,</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>It’s Link, and I have so much to tell you!  I know that I just wrote to you yesterday, but I really wanted to tell you about this now.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I left Kakariko this morning.  Impa showed me the locations of the divine beasts, and there is one that is not too far from here.  I decided to head to that one first.  I haven’t made it there quite yet because I made a discovery along the way.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>As I walking along a path, I came across a large stone arch over the road.  I wasn’t sure why, but I stopped.  It almost felt like I remembered that structure.  I stared at it for quite some time, trying to figure out why it felt so familiar.  I decided to use the Sheikah Slate to take a picture of it, so that I wouldn’t forget it.  As I was opening the camera, your pictures popped up and there it was!  That same arch.  I stared at it long and hard and then, all at once, it came rushing back to me.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I remembered us, walking towards that very same arch.  You were in a long white dress with gold accessories, and I wore a blue tunic with a sword—that for some reason also feels incredibly familiar—on my back.  We met with a small group, they all looked different from us.  I think they were the champions that I was told about.  One was a large, muscular person, although he didn’t look like a person.  The only way I can think to describe him was rock-like.  There was a woman, though she was much taller than both of us, she had brilliant red hair and her clothes were adorned with jewels and gold.  There was a girl who seemed to be of some sort of fish species.  Her scales were red and white, and she wore elaborate jewelry.  And there was a bird, but not like the sparrows I see.  This bird was around our size!  I’m not sure why, but he seemed annoyed with me.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>They were waiting to hear if anything had happened on the mountain.  I think you were trying to awaken your sealing power.  You were upset and ashamed to tell them that nothing happened.  The tall woman tried to comfort you, she insisted that we had to keep moving.  The fish-girl began to offer you advice, she told you she had a thought she kept in mind while she was healing.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>She didn’t get to finish her thought.   The ground began to violently shake and deep magenta clouds filled the sky.  There was a loud roar, and then we all knew--Calamity Ganon.  The rock-like man began to give instructions, urging the champions to return to the divine beasts.  He said that I would have to meet Ganon head-on.  The tall woman wanted to take you somewhere safe, but you insisted that you stay and help any way you could.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>And then, the memory began to fade.  I couldn’t remember anything else after that.  I was stunned, for several moments I found myself standing there in awe.  I remembered something.  The plan of going to these locations worked!  I had to tell Impa.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>As soon as I had left Kakariko, I was back.  I ran back to Kakariko as fast as I could, and I didn’t stop running until I was back in front of Impa.  I told her what had just happened.  How I recognized the bridge from your picture, how I remembered that moment.  My heart was racing, partially from the running and partially because I was just so excited to have remembered something.  I relayed the whole scene back to her just like I did for you.  Impa said she was sorry that the day of the Calamity was my first memory, but she was happy to hear that going to the locations of the pictures worked.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>She said since I had started to remember, she had something to give me.  She gave me that same blue tunic I was wearing in the memory!  Apparently, it was made for me specifically.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I’m excited about the memory, but I can’t help but be mad at myself.  Throughout the entire memory, you looked so sad.  Your face was constantly pulled into a frown and your voice, Zelda your voice sounded so defeated.  You were so upset with yourself and I did nothing.  I just stood there behind you.   I should have said something or hugged you or anything.  I don’t understand, why didn’t I do anything to try to console you?</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Zelda, am I bad person?  This is the only memory I have of myself from 100 years ago and I didn’t like what I saw.  I don’t understand how I can be your protector but not even offer a hug to you when you need one.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I’m so sorry.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>You, though, were wonderful.  It was incredible to see you.  I can hear your voice so clearly, but when I tried to picture your face I only was able to muster muddled colors and shapes.  It was always out of reach until now.  Now, I can clearly picture the roundness of your eyes, the soft curve of your cupid’s bow.  Your hands are petite and gentle just like you.  And your hair looked so soft, I wanted to reach out and touch it. </i>
</p>
<p>Heat began to rise to Link’s face.  He felt his heartbeat begin to pick up speed again, even though he was sitting still.  He was worried, for a moment, afraid that something bad is happening to him.  But the more he thinks about Zelda, the warmer his face gets and the airy fluttering in his stomach tells him that this will be okay.</p>
<p>
  <i> And Zelda, I really hope you don’t mind me saying this, but you’re very pretty. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I hope your not upset with me, at least not for saying you’re pretty.  If you’re mad at me about not comforting you though, I understand.  I’m mad at myself too.<br/>I hope that when I get to see you I can do better.  I hope that I’ve changed, that I’m a nicer person now.  I hope that you don’t hate me.  I’ll do my best for you.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I hope you’re okay.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Link </i>
</p>
<p>He closed the journal and placed it back in his back.  With a sigh he brought the now warmed stew to him and began to eat.  He thought about sharing a meal with Zelda.  What would she like, he wondered?  He thought about cooking for her, and how he’d love to prepare her first meal after a hundred years for her.  He thought about conversations they’d have over meals—she’d tell him about her dreams over breakfast, at dinner they’d make plans for the next day.  He’d prepare her hearty food to help her regain her strength after years of being trapped in the castle, and he’d make her sweets just because she deserves them.</p>
<p>His stew was warm and full of spice and loneliness.  In his dream that night, him and Zelda shared curry and had honey apples for dessert.</p>
  </div></div>
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